I have a question for those of you with more experience. All my pregnancy books say no lying on your back once you reach your second trimester. Does lying down slightly propped up count? How propped up do you have to be? Or does one need to either be fully sitting up or on your side all the time? Thanks....

I only quit lying on my back if it makes me physically uncomfortable or nauseous feeling. All of which, imo, are enough reason not to do it. I still sleep on my back for short periods of time and I'm 37 W 2 Days currently.

Funny, I kept running into this question. I asked m/w last night at our appt her professional opinion on it. Her answer:

The scare tactic is that you'll lay on your back and the baby will compress the main artery bringing blood supply to your whole body and thus decrease blood supply to mom and all her limbs, and organs, including the placenta which will decrease supply to baby.
Before any of this ever happens, you as mom will figure it out and become uncomfortable either because you have a hard time breathing or your limbs feel cold, ...etc before you are anywhere near harming your baby.

Makes sense to me, in almost any instance, you will end up hurting yourself before baby. Its a self preservation thing we do as humans.
HTH

Lay however you want as long as it's comfortable. Your body will let you know if something is wrong. I can't lay on my back (unless I do it in my sleep then no biggy) because I can't breathe for crap. Don't let fears drive you in pregnancy, let your intuitions drive you instead.

My ob says around20wks or when I start feeling uncomfortable. For me I would start to feel dizzy, couldn't breath well. There is a rather large vein in your back that can become compressed by baby and slow the blood supply. No threat to baby but can cause you discomfort.

Great question! I've been wondering this all week since reading it in my pg book... And I keep waking up on my back!

Thanks ladies, I'm not going to worry to much.

Not to hijack the thread but a related question - what about doing crunches and other ab workouts (on my back or otherwise)? I want to have a strong core but are crunches either harmful or a waste of time since my abs will be compromised soon?

Not to hijack the thread but a related question - what about doing crunches and other ab workouts (on my back or otherwise)? I want to have a strong core but are crunches either harmful or a waste of time since my abs will be compromised soon?

although i've heard it's ok to lie on your back if you're comfy (and i do quite often) i have heard excercising on your back after the 2nd tri isn't recommended. i'm not sure if that's more of the same wive's tale stuff or not, but there's lots of ways to work the abs in other "safe" positions. (the Leesa Heart FitMama workout video does a lot of ab work.) i think the reason is because it puts too much strain on your abs and increases risk of abdominal diastasis.

Lay however you want as long as it's comfortable. Your body will let you know if something is wrong.

This is exactly what my OB told me when I asked. I still wake up on my back in bed in the morning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jencat

Not to hijack the thread but a related question - what about doing crunches and other ab workouts (on my back or otherwise)? I want to have a strong core but are crunches either harmful or a waste of time since my abs will be compromised soon?

I am not sure crunches are recommended when pregnant but you probably need to ask your health care provider.

The scare tactic is that you'll lay on your back and the baby will compress the main artery bringing blood supply to your whole body and thus decrease blood supply to mom and all her limbs, and organs, including the placenta which will decrease supply to baby.

And yet many many OBs and even some CNMs want you on your back during labor and pushing. Yeah, that makes sense.

I can usually lay on my back for about ten minutes or so before my arms and legs start to go numb. Then I roll to my side. Sometimes if I want to lay on my back to read a book or something, I put a small pillow under one side of my butt so it's not flat on the bed.

This is exactly why I love MDC: I've been meaning to ask this for weeks but kept forgetting! I'm 30wks and lying on my back is the most comfortable position for me as I get rib and pelvis pain regardless which side I lie on or how many cushions I've stuck where. I wake in the middle of the night with rib pain and allow myself 5 minutes comfort on my back before sighing and going back on my side. I haven't had any problems yet with lying on my back but kept making myself move just in case it hurt the baby in any way.

So now I'm going to happily drift off to sleep on my back, secure in the knowledge that I'll wake or move if I need to. Thanks, Ladies of MDC

Lay however you want as long as it's comfortable. Your body will let you know if something is wrong. I can't lay on my back (unless I do it in my sleep then no biggy) because I can't breathe for crap. Don't let fears drive you in pregnancy, let your intuitions drive you instead.

I am 36 wks and still pretty happy on my back! I don't feel lightheaded or dizzy or anything bad. I also still do pilates on my back, although no crunches or hundreds or anything that strains the low back. My MW said the same as above posters- that it's okay as long as it feels okay to you. Trust your instincts.

Thanks for posting this thread because I was about to post the same one...

I am not even a back sleeper but as soon as I get a baby bump, I wake up to me on my back accidentally and I don't know why the heck my body naturally goes to that position because my back hurts SO BAD in the morning!

So yeah, I hope this becomes a popular thread so I can lurk for some more answers and opinions...

-Caitrin

Me To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Wife/SAHM/Musician. Mother of 3 boys: William (8), Tristan (6), Lukas (3) and another baby on the way To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

And yet many many OBs and even some CNMs want you on your back during labor and pushing. Yeah, that makes sense.

EXACTLY.

"Don't lie on your back!!!!" and then when you're in labor, the hospital sticks you in a bed, on your back, for the duration of labor and for pushing.

?

I encourage everyone to explore whether or not routine obstetrical practices or advice are based on evidence-based medicine, and to think critically: about lying on your back, and/or every other thing that will come at you during the pregnancy & birth.

And yet many many OBs and even some CNMs want you on your back during labor and pushing. Yeah, that makes sense.

Yeah, that has always struck me as screwy too. And there are many procedures typically done when the mother is on her back, including long ultrasounds. But suddenly when a mom rolls over on her back at night because it feels comfy it causes issues???